Dual time control device



May 20, 1947. G. KLEIN 2,420,780

DUAL TIME CONTROL DEVICE Filed Oct. 8, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

111%4 BY GIU5TAJ KLEnJ ATTOIZAJEY.

Patented May 20, 1947 UNI-TED OFFICE 2,420,780 DUAL TIME: CONTROL DEVICE that met, Mena e-rats," Pa Applicatibn October 8, 1945, serial no. 521,0 9

My invention relates to a dual time control device adapted to activate or inactivate a separate and independently operatingapparatus-at the beginni-ng ,.0r at thepend of two unequal time ine a 1 a i The main object of the invention is to produce animproved control device; of ,the' type set forth. A further objectis to produce an inexpensive, attractive and easily operable. dual control device. ,A. still further object isvto produce a control device in which the different time measuringde- 1 Fig. l is a diagrammatic plan view of a dual time control device. embodying. the invention Fig.2.- is a front elevational view of the same; Fig. 3 is a section-online 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig: 3, certain parts beingomitted; and

Figs. 5 and-G are similar to Fig. 4, showing different adjustments.

Referring to the drawings, l0 designates a casing of any. suitable size and shape,.the front Wall of which is inscribed with suitable indicia to provide an inner diall2 and anouterdial l4. One of the dials, such as the outer dial i4, is designed to indicate the passage of timein terms of hours and the. other dial is designed 1 to indicate the passage of. time in terms of minutes.

Within thecasingare -a-pair of time-measuring devices l6 and it, which are suitably positioned within the casing by brackets or the like 20. The time-measuring devices I6 and [8 are of a type now available on the market and known as Minute minder. Briefly, a device of this type includes a clock mechanism adapted to be wound by rotation of a shaft attached to the spring, and are so constructed that, as soon as the shaft is released, the clock mechanism is set in motion by the unwinding of the spring. The angular displacement of the shaft, or the extent to which it is rotated, determines the length of time that will elapse before the clock spring is completely unwound. Time-measuring devices of this type also include a knob for rotation of the shaft, a dial, and an index for indicating the extent to which the shaft has been rotated. For example, if the shaft has been rotated until the index registers with numeral [5 on the dial, it means that the clock mechanism will be in motion for aperiod of fifteen-minutes, and so on. It is believed that, with this explanation, it is not necessary to show. the clock mechanisms in detail. 1

. In order to carry out the present 1 invention, the time-measuring devices 16 and I8 areplaced in aiignment with reference to the dials and are provided 'witn nested, concentric actuating shafts.=- As 'will be seen from' Figs. 1 and 3,"the rear device it is" actuated, by' a shaft 22 which extends through a sleeve or hollow" shaft 24 which actuates the device le. The shafts 22 and" 24 extend-through the front Wall of the casing and have-concentric 'actuatingknobs 26 and 'ZB, re-

spectively." The knob 26 carries a long-indexer pointer 33 for coacting with the outer dial l l, and the knob 2B-carries a short index 32 for coacting with theinner dial i2. Theshafts 22 and24 also carry fixedly-secured discs-Maurice, respectively, which-rotate with the arm 42 is raised, the apparatus referred to is set in motion or stopped, or its operation or condition 'is otherwise modified. For example, the free end of thearmcould, upon being raised and lowered, open or close a switch, open or close a valve; or perform other usefulhwork. Since the apparatus 'to' be controlled 'formsno part" of the present invention, no special type of such apparatus is shown or described.

Operation When the time control device is inactive, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the pointers 30 and 32 and the high points 38 and 40 of the cams are in alignment. This represents the normal or zero position, in which the springs of both of the time measuring devices are completely unwound, In this position, the pin 48 is to the left of the cam surfaces 38 and 4!] as viewed in Fig. 4. When the shafts 22 and 24 are turned in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, the high cam surfaces will pass under the pin 46 and thus raise the arm 42 momentarily. The pin 45 now rides on the circular rim of the cam discs to the right of the cam surfaces, as viewed in Fig. 4. As the springs of the time measuring devices l6 and IB unwind, the discs will turn in clockwise direction until the cam surfaces again pass under the pin 46 and raise the arm 42. For example, if the knob 28 is turned until the pointer 32 registers with the numeral 3 on the inner dial I2, the time measuring device I6 is wound so as to run for a period of three minutes, and after the passage of three minutes, the arm 42 will be raised by the cam 38. Also, if the knob 26 is turned until the pointer 30 registers with the numeral 3 on the outer dial Hi, the time measuring device [8 will be wound so as to run for a period of three hours, and, after the passage of three hours, the cam surface 48 will pass under and raise the arm 42.

In Fig. 5, the discs are shown in the position they will assume when the apparatus has been set to operate after the lapse of two unequal intervals of time. It will be noted that the cam surfaces 38 and 40 are to the left of, and unequally, angularly spaced from the axis of the pin 46.

In Fig. 6, the apparatus is shown at about the moment of expiration of the shorter interval of time and the cam 38 is passing under the pin 46 and raising the arm 42. After a further lapse of time, the cam 40 will likewise pass under and again raise the arm 42. When this takes place, the springs of the time mechanisms are unwound and the knobs and pointers are again in the starting or zero position of Fig. 4. If desired, a stop 48 may be used for locating the starting position and for preventing the operator from inadvertently turning the knobs in the wrong direction.

It will be understood from the foregoing that each of the time-measuring devices may be set and used separately but that they coact to produce a multiple control whereby any given operation can be controlled with reference to the passage of time, For example, if it is desired to apply a heat of a given value to some apparatus for a given period of time and then to apply heat of a lower or higher value for a longer or shorter period of time, the movable member is connected to a switch or a valve supplying or controlling the supply of heat, and the timemeasuring devices are adjusted to actuate the movable member upon the passage of the desired time intervals.

It will also be noted that the time-measuring devices are longitudinally aligned and that the concentric shafts are normal thereto, so that a very compact and neat apparatus is produced which can be readily applied to a cooking range or the like without excessive cost and without occupying too much space or detracting from the appearance of said stove.

What I claim is:

1. A dual time control apparatus including a plurality of time-measuring devices, a corresponding plurality of concentric shafts, said shafts being separately rotatable in one direction to set said devices to measure predetermined periods of time, respectively, each of said shafts being rotatable in the reverse direction by the timemeasuring action of its corresponding device, a disc rotatable with each of said shafts and having a cam surface thereon, and a movable member disposed adjacent said discs and adapted to be actuated by passage of said cam surfaces past said member.

2. A dual time control apparatus including a plurality of spring-actuated time-measuring devices, a plurality of concentric shafts, said shafts being separately rotatable in one direction to set said devices to measure predetermined periods of time, respectively, each of said shafts being rotatable in the reverse direction by the timemeasuring action of its corresponding device, a disc rotatable with each of said shafts and having a high cam surface thereon, and a movable member disposed adjacent said discs and adapted to be raised and lowered by passage of said cam surfaces past said member.

3. The structure recited in claim 1 together with concentric dials calibrated to indicate diff rent time intervals and pointers movable with said shafts and coacting with said dials.

4. The structure recited in claim 1 together with a finger carried by said movable member and extending transversely of the peripheries of said discs, said finger being raised by passage of said cam surfaces to raise said movable member.

5. The structure recited in claim 1 in which said time-measuring devices are aligned longitudinally-of the axes of said shafts and are housed in a single casing through a Wall of which said shafts extend.

GUSTAV KLEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 876,293 Brock Jan. 7, 1908 1,749,185 Hicks Mar, 4, 1930 1,979,293 Smith Nov. 6, 1934 

